Scope & sequence

Scope & Sequence

The breakouts build one durable idea across grades K–8: AI makes guesses from patterns in data, it can be confidently wrong, so you verify. Each grade adds the next layer of that arc.

The learning arc: meet AI helpers & ask a grown-up (Gr K) → AI guesses from examples, check it (Gr 1) → AI-made vs human-made, double-check & clear prompts (Gr 2) → pattern & prediction (Gr 3) → data quality & bias-from-data (Gr 4) → clear prompting & verifying (Gr 5) → spotting generated media (Gr 6) → where bias comes from (Gr 7) → creating responsibly (Gr 8). Vocabulary compounds — data introduced in Gr 3–4 returns inside training data and bias in Gr 7.
Grade · activity & big idea · essential question · key vocabulary · TEKS substrands
GradeActivity & big ideaEssential questionKey vocabularySubstrands
Grade K
full · §126.5
Meet AI, Ask a Grown-Up
AI helpers are computer tools that make guesses; a grown-up helps you use them, and you keep private things private.
What is an AI helper, and how do you use it safely with a grown-up? AI helper, robot, guess, private, ask (c)(1) (c)(11)
Grade 1
full · §126.6
Check the Robot
AI makes guesses from examples it has seen; it can be wrong, so you check, and you tell it clearly what you want.
How does an AI make a guess, and what do you do when it might be wrong? guess, examples, data, check, clear instruction (c)(1) (c)(11) (c)(2) (c)(5)
Grade 2
full · §126.7
Use AI Honestly
You can tell AI-made from human-made, double-check what AI says, write a clear prompt, and say when AI helped.
How do you check what an AI makes, and how do you use it honestly? AI-made, human-made, double-check, prompt, credit (c)(11) (c)(2) (c)(3) (c)(4)
Grade 3
full · §126.8
Meet the Machine that Guesses
AI is a tool that makes predictions by finding patterns in examples (data). It is not alive and is not always right, so you check its work.
How does an AI "know" things, and when should you trust its answer? artificial intelligence (AI), pattern, data, guess/predict, check (c)(1) (c)(11) (c)(12) (c)(5)
Grade 4
full · §126.9
Garbage In, Garbage Out
An AI is only as good as its data; limited or one-sided data produces wrong or unfair results, and AI can make things up.
Why does an AI sometimes give wrong or unfair answers? data, training examples, one-sided, hallucination (made-up facts), trusted source (c)(11) (c)(5) (c)(6)
Grade 5
full · §126.10
The Prompt Lab
A prompt is a clear set of instructions (an algorithm); clear prompts, refining, and verifying produce better AI results.
How do you ask an AI clearly, and how do you know if the answer is good? prompt, task, details, format, refine, verify (c)(11) (c)(2) (c)(3)
Grade 6
full · §126.17
Real or Generated?
Generative AI can create realistic text, images, and voices that are not real; you verify media before believing or sharing it.
How can you tell whether media is real or AI-generated? generative AI, AI-generated, hallucination, verify, trusted source (c)(2) (c)(4) (c)(7)
Grade 7
full · §126.18
Bias in the Machine
AI reflects its training data and its makers’ choices; skewed or missing data creates bias that can be amplified at scale.
Where does AI bias come from, and how do you evaluate a biased answer? bias, training data, stereotype, representation, evaluate (c)(4) (c)(5) (c)(6)
Grade 8
full · §126.19
Build with AI, Responsibly
Creating with AI responsibly means disclosing its help, verifying its work, respecting others’ work, and protecting privacy.
How do you create with AI honestly and responsibly? disclose, verify, attribution/credit, intellectual property, data privacy (c)(11) (c)(12) (c)(3)

Pacing

  • One breakout ≈ 25–40 minutes including debrief; it works best as the engage or collaborative-practice phase of a lesson, not the whole lesson.
  • Run one per grading period, or cluster a band into a 1–2 week AI-literacy unit.
  • Each grade has a free featured lesson on the home page; the full per-grade lessons go a level deeper — and are just as free.
Standards alignment is a good-faith paraphrase for planning — see the TEKS correlation guide and cite the § at tea.texas.gov. Not legal advice.